Seven Tips for Getting (and Staying) Fit on Assignment

Being in good shape is important as a travel nurse! It will help you stay strong on your feet during your shifts and in good physical health to take care of your patients. Plus, being fit helps you practice what you preach in terms of good health—you can stand as a positive example for your patients and co-workers! But when you’re on the road, consistency is not exactly a way of life—so it’s smart to keep a few fitness tips for travel nurses up your sleeve. Here’s how to stay fit on your travel nurse placements.

You can stay fit and trim with the following ways to work out on assignment:

Use the stairs. You can easily burn off a few extra calories by taking the stairs as you travel from floor to floor. You’ll be surprised how quickly your steps add up to 10,000 (the number of steps experts recommend per day for good health). Bonus points if you have a pedometer or fitness wearable to track them!

Pick up fitness DVDs. Bring your favorites from home, stop by a local library branch or visit Best Buy. If you don’t have a TV and DVD player available, most laptops have the capability to play DVDs. You can purchase a DVD player to hook up to your computer.

Find workouts on YouTube. If you have access to the internet, you can find hundreds of options for workouts posted right to YouTube. These range from weight lifting, to barre, to yoga and much more.

Visit the workout room in your complex. When you’re at home and want to get in a workout, you may find that most apartment complexes offer a workout room with a few machines and free weights. And if you prefer to work with a “trainer,” you can download fitness apps like Nike+ Training to guide you through your workout.

Go for a run. If you’re a runner, this is a simple way to burn calories and stay in shape. Find a safe area or a running buddy from work, and hit the pavement. For more fun, download a running app such as Map My Run.

Take a walk around the building. During your lunch break, why not take a few minutes to stroll around campus outside, or between floors inside? If you can’t get to the gym, simply taking advantage of your surroundings can help you get in some extra exercise during your day.

Get enough sleep. If you’re overtired, not only will you feel run down—you won’t have the energy to stay fit. Be sure to head to bed with enough time to get in 6 hours of sleep each night. Getting your rest is good for your immune system, memory and concentration, too.

Don’t forget your gear!

Before you head out on assignment, be sure to pack everything you’ll need for your fitness routine. This could include: sneakers, workout clothes including sport socks, a water bottle, your iPod and charger, fitness DVDs, your laptop, a yoga mat, small hand weights, exercise bands and your fitness wearable.

How to find a travel RN recruiter

If you’re ready to put your travel RN exercise tips to the test, check out MedPro Healthcare Staffing. We’ll work with you to find placements in the best cities for travel nurses. Plus, we’re laser-focused on making each travel experience better than the one before. To learn more, call MedPro Healthcare Staffing today at 1-800-866-8108, or apply for a travel nursing job below.

Keep Reading!

Once you have these fit tips up your sleeve, check out our past blog posts for other ways to make the most of your travel RN placements: